In your opinion, what is the top issue facing Scottsdale?

Klapp: Scottsdale's excellent services and amenities must be funded by economic stability that is created by growing businesses and quality development projects, large and small, that generate jobs and revenues for the city. We have balanced Scottsdale's budget through a series of cuts, by reduction in redundancy and by responsible fiscal planning. Now, as the economy improves, my focus has shifted to growing our revenues. I will continue to support a business and tourism-based community and will remain dedicated to attracting and retaining healthy businesses so Scottsdale will remain the top choice among residents, employers, families and visitors.

Korte: To ensure that we are protected against any future economic downturns, we must identify more diverse business prospects and work to bring them here to build a broader-based economy. Those new businesses must bring well-paying jobs: the kind of employment opportunities that will allow people to work in our city and also let them afford to live and raise families here. We can accomplish this by refining business attraction and retention strategies, collaborating and working more definitively with Valley-wide economic development organizations and local chambers of commerce, and continue to build on our strengths in tourism, arts and culture, health care and bioresearch (Scottsdale Healthcare and Mayo Clinic), technology (General Dynamics, the Airpark) and international (SkySong) businesses.

Luoma: Job creation is one of the top issues right now. I would directly target businesses to move and grow in our city using our worldwide cachet, community commitment to arts and strong education records instead of costly debatable incentives.

Guy Phillips: The top issue facing Scottsdale is our future: whether to proceed with the height and density, "grow-or-die" mantra of the current City Council, or build on tourism, special events and small business as our income generators, which our residents are in favor of.

Joanne Phillips: A disturbing disconnect between the council majority and the citizenry impacts credibility and confidence in government. This is evidenced by the citizens' defeat of the 2010 bond vote, defeat of the 2012 General Plan update and a field of 11 council candidates.

Schaffner: Scottsdale city government is out of touch with the citizenry. Our government is abandoning our Number 1 industry (tourism) and our great brand (livability). I have directly worked against this for years. I will see to it that the citizens are directly involved in creating the General Plan update, and that we have a government dedicated to protecting the rights and interests of the residents.

What are some solutions you believe could help boost recovery and redevelopment along the McDowellRoad corridor?

Klapp: We must encourage economic development in the corridor, but we have to do so with a comprehensive vision and goal in mind. Government has provided infrastructure and tools, such as the new revitalization districts legislation, and it can now allow free-market forces to work. Since my election in 2008, I have championed SkySong as the anchor for the corridor due to its ability to foster new technology-related businesses, high-paying jobs and economic excitement. Recently, the City Council approved housing next to SkySong, which in turn has encouraged nearby private-sector retail for the first time in decades. As the economy continues to grow and improve and as financing becomes available, we will see the business climate along McDowell Road improve dramatically.

Korte: Scottsdale can better collaborate with neighboring cities in business-attraction efforts, increase transportation options and link to neighboring cities to improve the daily travel of Scottsdale's workforce, as well as continue to increase housing options in southern Scottsdale so that our workforce can live, work, learn and play in Scottsdale and commit to the creation of a "sense of place" and theme appropriate for our southern gateway to Scottsdale. Additionally, we must improve the regulatory climate by creating overlay zones to ease the process and timetable for approval, creating performance-based zoning incentives for height and density and ensuring that all tools for redevelopment are available.

Luoma: A first step would be a true visioning process that would culminate with a resurgence of new jobs and smart development. I would work on enticing a large or growing company to build either a headquarters or regional office where the vacant car dealerships are today. McDowell Road could travel underground to create open community space and Scottsdale's newest landmark.

Guy Phillips: Lift the cloud of redevelopment from the McDowell corridor. When redevelopment was lifted from downtown Scottsdale, the area flourished.

Joanne Phillips: The McDowell corridor is the city's southern gateway; it should redevelop in a natural mixed-use manner with residences, businesses, shopping and employment centers. McDowell Road is a major transit corridor, which could be a hub of employment, education, health-care and neighborhood services. We need to do extensive outreach with area neighborhoods to truly grasp their wants and needs, both of area residents and business owners. Car dealerships have left, but are car maintenance and service facilities still needed? What about specialty stores and satellite locations of businesses and services located miles away? We already have the foundations for science, technology and health care located there, so we need to brainstorm with them as to how to expand those priorities.

Schaffner: Recovery of the McDowell corridor has suffered from the constant meddling of our city government. We need to generate stability. The General Plan update is a great opportunity to involve all the stakeholders to create a new character area that will incorporate a stable, comprehensive vision and policy that is enforceable for a decade.

What is the No. 1 quality you'd like to see in the next city manager?

Klapp: We need a city manager with strong leadership and management skills including the ability to listen, create a productive dialogue among residents and council members and the willingness to act selflessly with Scottsdale's best interests in mind.

Korte: The most important quality the next city manager should possess is the ability to communicate clearly and with integrity and honesty with the City Council and the city's 2,500-employee workforce. Our city needs a manager with public-administration experience, one who gains respect of staff and can inspire and build loyalty and teamwork among city employees. The new city manager should understand his or her job is to manage and administrate the city's affairs, not to set policy or politicize those activities. He or she, working closely with the City Council and using input from citizens, can help create a vision for Scottsdale.

Luoma: As I would in my own business, I would like to see someone who has a proven track record of leadership and consensus-building skills. I would work with them to establish expectations then let the city manager lead.

Guy Phillips: I support one who will truly listen to the concerns of the neighbors or business that will be affected by any proposed development. Let the development community know that Scottsdale is open for business but not "monkey" business, such as apartment buildings, wherever they may wish. The job of the city manager is not to run roughshod over the citizens in order to simply build out the city.

Joanne Phillips: Experienced ethical leadership that understands the need to be respectful of both citizens and employees is critical.

Schaffner: A true understanding of the job of the city manager is vital for success. Scottsdale's charter requires the city manager to be the chief executive of the administrative branch. This requires great competence in all issues related to running a municipality, true leadership to maximize the efforts of our talented city employees and high levels of efficiency with time and money. In order to do the job effectively, the council must ensure the city manager does not stray off course and try to implement his or her own vision for the city.

If elected, what are some ways you would support businesses throughout Scottsdale?

Klapp: I will continue to focus on the city's relationships with existing business owners and managers to better understand their needs and to connect them with other community people and organizations to provide assistance and advice. It is critical that we help reduce the burden of operating a business and opening or relocating a business in our city, so we can achieve economic diversity. A thriving economy is built in part upon the thorough examination and reform of arcane city codes and ordinances. Scottsdale has become popular among visitors and businesses alike due to our quality services, amenities and weather, but relationships and responsiveness will further drive business growth in Scottsdale.

Korte: First we must maintain Scottsdale's quality of life by continuing support of Scottsdale's premier public safety departments and our strong tourism industry. In addition, we must stabilize our government structure and hire a city manager with integrity, as well as continue to support and create the best of the best school systems, which includes Scottsdale Unified School District, Scottsdale Community College and Arizona State University, so that we home-grow our workforce talent, actively participate in Valley-wide economic development entities and neighboring cities to better plan for future growth and continue to increase housing options so that our workforce can work and live here. Additionally, we should use the McDowell Road corridor and SkySong as a launching pad for a new era of economic vitality.

Luoma: Operating a successful business in Scottsdale has been inspiring for my family for more than 40 years. The primary ways that a city can help businesses are to keep taxes low and stay fiscally responsible. I will always work toward smart growth that brings more jobs and visitors to our city. Identifying new businesses to move offices and employees here increases the customer base for all of us.

Guy Phillips: Let them know boondoggles like light rail will never be allowed on Scottsdale Road. To accomplish this, simply remove Scottsdale Road as the designated transit corridor.

Joanne Phillips: First and foremost, we should understand why businesses want to relocate to Scottsdale and make sure we maintain the desirable characteristics of this city. We should encourage businesses that are a good fit for Scottsdale and discourage those that are not. Every business is not good for this city, and this city is not good for every business. Both the city and the business will benefit if they fit well together. To the contrary, businesses that are not a good fit bring the city down and make it less desirable for those businesses that are a good fit. We should seek input from existing businesses on potential new and expanded complementary and desirable businesses, survey neighborhoods for perceived needs that create a ready market and freeze business taxes and identify and reduce business deterrents. We also should streamline permitting procedures and costs for construction, planning and operation without compromising safety and quality. We should encourage redevelopment of targeted areas, such as the McDowell corridor, through equal benefit partnerships and collaborations such as transit routes, assistance in employee relocation, and expedited and priority application processing.

Schaffner: Again, we need to stay committed to our quality of life. It is why we have attracted so many great businesses. Additionally, we need to keep taxes and regulations to a minimum. Further, we need to advance and support the efforts of the Scottsdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, which does a great job of marketing Scottsdale's brand.